Fruit-evaporator.



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T. E. KOEHLER. FRUIT EVAPORATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY17, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

T. E. KOEHLBR.

FRUIT EVAPORATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1912.

Patented 001;. 14, 1913,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wi/lmwoeo T.E.KOEHLER. FRUIT EVAPORATOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1912.

Patented Oct. M, 1913.

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3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

awbgwtoz TH'EUBGBE' E. KOEHLEB, 0F MOUNT r curios.

went, onneom rnmr-nvaroaaroa v To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnnononn E. KonH- LER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Angel, in the county of Marion, State-of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Evaporators; and I- do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a machine for evaporating fruit.

An object of this invention is the rovision of a machine such as described w ich causes the condensation of moisture arising from fruit thereby preserving the food properties and. the flavors.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a machine in which the air passes through the fruit and circulates back to the heating zone of the furnace from which it is again said air in its passage heated.

Still another object of, this invention is the provision of an'apparatus of the above described type which employs the use of a plurality of dampers each consisting of independent, operable directed to the fruit, the

being cooled and resections which may be swung to direct the heat to either the front intermediate or rear portions of the machine.

A fourth object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus of the nature above specified in which the fruit trays may be moved to and from the furnace or heating chamber, the same being supported by end-- less belts.

A further object of this invention is theprovision of a condenslng and evaporating a plurality of vertically movable trays, the said apparatus being provided with d oors through which the trays may be insertedcr removed and also a main doorthrough which the contents of the trays can be inspected as desired.

A still further object of this invention is to improve and simplify devices of this character, rendering them comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, re-

' liable and "efficient in use and readily operated.

With the above and other objects. in ie specification of Letters ram. Application filed July 17, 1912.

Fatcnted Oct. 14, 1913.

Serial No. 710,003.

this invention resides in the novelfeatures. of constructions, formations, combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

.which Figure 1 is a perspective view of vention with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof taken on the line 2-2. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is alongitudinal sectional view taken on theline 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the sliding supporting frame moved outward in the mam frame. Fig." 7 is a similar view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 10 is afragmentary detail perspective v1ew illustrating the method of supporting the trays.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by similar characters of reference throughout the several views, the numeral 15 designates generally my improved condensing and evaporating apparatus which consists of a frame 16 comprising opposite corner'po-sts 1 connected at their lower ends by the lower rails 18 at their upper ends by the upper rails 19 and at points intermediate their ends by the intermediate rails 20.

The side end rails 18 and 20 are connected by a plurality off'plates 21 which constitute an air compartment 22 in which is located a furnace 23 of any well known type or design and disposed with its front wall 24 exterior of the compartment" 22 and equipped with the usual furnace doors 25.

The upper edges of the rails 18 are connected by a bottom opposite sides of the furnace base 27, while secured to this said base 27 above the bottom 26 is an inclined partition 27 which is secured at its opposite end to the ad acent inner sides of the end plates 21 1n spaced relation from the rails 18 and 20. One of these partitions 27' is disposed upon eac side of the furnace 23 and produce together with the bottom 26 and plates 21 inwardly tapering compartments 28 for a purpose to be later disclosed.

A heat supply pipe29 extends from the my in- 26 which extends to the rear end of the furnace 23- and has connected to its upper extremity a pair of oppositely extending branch pipes 30 which extend lo-ngitudinally of the compartment 22 adjacent the rear wall thereof to the opposite ends thereof to which are connected transversepipes 31 which are connected at their free ends by a longitudinal pipe 32 which runs the entire length of the compartment 22 in spaced parallel relation to the rails and adjacent the front wall of the said compartment. From the pipe 32 extends the outlet pipe 69. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the course of flow is through the pipe 29 to the pipe 30 thence through the transverse pipes 31 to the pipe 32, thence to spaces or upper com artments 37 in which are located the slida 1e supporting frames ,Each of the slidable a plurality ofspaced 38, as shown in Fig. 6. frames 38 consists of corner posts 39 connected at their opposite a 41 to which are hingedly tated, the shafts and beveled of the said sha and in such manner that the shafts disposed ends by the front side and rear bars 40 whlch holds them in their spaced relation relative to each other against any undesired v displacement. The front and rear pair of posts 39 are connected at points in spaced relation from their ends'by horizontal rails while secured to one-of the the inner of the 'railsf41 is closure 43. j Upper and lower spaced shafts 44 are ournaled in the posts 39 in's aced relation to the opposite ends thereof while secured to one of the-shafts 44 is an operating crank 45 by means of which the said shaft can be ro-= 44 'upon the opposite sides e supporting frame having keyed thereposts 39 between of th to sprocket wheels 46 which are connected by endless chain belts 47 and the upper of the shafts 44 being connected by shafts 48 pinions 49 serves upon the rotation of the crank 45 not only to rotate the shaft which sup orts the same but also each journaled in the frame,

at the opposite sides of the frame will be rotatedin unison and in opposite directions.

The chain belts 47 at like sides of the frame 38 are connected by angle bars 50, the same being arranged with the inner flanges thereof locatedin horizontal planes producing guides 51 for slidably receiving the fruit trays 52.

- A plurality of longitudinal plates 53 are connected'to the rails 19 and adjacent p'ortionsof the posts 17 and 36 and terminate with their edges flushrwith the upper edges of the frames 38, While connectingthe upper secured doors 42 a main door or.

lar board covering 'edges of the rails 19 is a closure 54- which may be formed from any suitable material such as sheet metal or the like in one or more sections.

A plurality of rods 55 connect the opposite ends of the supporting frames 38 while pivotally connected to these rods 55 are a plurality of dam er plates 56 which are connected in series y' links 57. An operating rod 58 is connected .to each series of damper plates 56 and projects through the casing providing a means whereby each series can be operated independently of the others.

It should be noted that the bars 55 are arranged in pairs above the shafts 44 and below the same which consequently arranges the plates 56 both above and below the ys '52- The closure 54 is formed with a plurality of openings 59, each of which. is disposed d1- rectly above the slidable supporting frames '38 and from the edges of .these openings 59 extend housings 60 closed" at their upper edges by plates 61 which may be retained by braces 62 in a partially opened position to permit a certain amount of the air to escape from the machine.

A plurality of horizontally'disposed pipes 63 are secured in spaced parallel relation to each other in the cooling chamber 38 at the rear ends of the frames 38, while the opposite edges of these pipes are alternately connected by return bends'64 which produce a continuous assa through the pipes 63, the endones of whifi are connected to an inletpipe 65 and an'outlet pipe 66 by means of which a continuous supply of cold water:

may beretained therein. The cooling chamber 38' in which the cold water coils or pipes are arranged is lined with heavy asbestos paper 71, while 72 is a board covering forming one side of thechambei" and 73 is a simior facing on the adjacent back of the cabinet. The-inside of the cabinet is lined with metallic sheeting as at 74. The dead air space of the cooling chamber is provided to prevent the .hot air heating thecooling chamber as the moist air is only to pass through the to at the dampers and thence down the bac of the cooling chamber and back to the heating zone of the furnace. Furthermore, there is a space 75 between each set'of trays in which the hot air is con ned, these vertical spaces being covered at the front by the strips 76' to form a radiator. i A trough 67 is secured below the lower of the pipes 63 and serves to convey the water caused by the condensation of the vapors arising from the f ruit upon contact .Wlth the pipe 63 back to the heatin zone'of the furnace at the space between tiebase 68 of the apparatus an'dthe bottom 26 which is disposed in spaced relation thereto.

The furnace 23 'is equipped with the usual raised or lowered. stood in this connection that various mlnor ea set outlet flue 69, while suitable locks are employed to retain the doors. in their closed positions.

The operation of the device is as follows: The trays 52 are filled with the fruit and are slid into engagement with the guides 51 through the doors 42, and when desired access may be had to these trays through the main door i3- It will be observed that any tray may be moved as d sired upon the rotation of the crank 45- to and from the greatest intens'ty of heat which is located directly above the furnace 23 or adjacent the lower ends of the frames 38. This is necessary in evaporating fruits of difierent nature. It will be apparent that when the fruit becomes heated a certain amount of vapor will arise therefrom and contact with the pipes 63 through which the cold water is circulated. This obviously causes the condensation of the vapor which as before stated is conveyed back to the heating zone of the furnace, reheated and again circulated through the fruit contained within the trays 52. The compartments 28 serve to retain cooler air than located in the compartment 22 which assists in retaining the condensed vapor in liquid form until it reaches the heating zone of the furnace 23 and also in purifying the air contained within the compartment 22; The supply of air may be directed to any point within the frames 38 by the'damper plates 56 while in order to regulate the intensity of the heat contained within the apparatus the closures 61 may be It should be underchanges in the deta'ls of construction can be resorted to within the. scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

From the foregoing disclosures taken in connect-ion with ,the accompanying drawings it will be manifest that a device of the nature described is provided which will fulfil all of the necessary requirements of such a device.

Having thus tion what I claim as new and tect by Letters Patent, is:

1. A condenser and fruit evaporator comprising a frame having upper and lower compartments located therein, heating means disposed within the lower compartment, supporting frames slidable in the upper compartment, vertically movable trays supported within the supportin frames and means for vertically moving said trays.

2. The combination in a fruit evaporator and condenser of a frame having compartments provided therein, heating means for the lower of the compartments, said comfully described this invendesire to provertically moving partments: being in communication, support ing frames slidable in the upper compartment, vertically movable trays mounted within the supporting frames, means for the trays, dampers disposed adjacent the: upper andlower ends 0 the supporting passage of air therethrough and means for operating the damper.

3. The combination in a fruitevaporator and condenser, of \a frame having upper frames for controlling the and lower compartments disposed therein,

heating means. within said lower compartment, supporting frames slidable within the the inclined pipes .extending from vertically movable upper comp artmcnt,

' supporting trays mounted frames; means forvertically moving the trays, dampers for controlling the passage of air through said frames, condensing pipes disposed within the upper compartment an means for conducting the condensed vapor back to the heating means to be revaporized.

i. The combination in a fruit evaporator and condenser of a frame having upper and lower compartments disposed therein, heating means within the lower of the compartments, supporting frames slidable in the upper compartment, endless belts mounte within the supporting-frames, and vertically movable trays supported by the endless belts.

5. The combination in a fruit evaporator and condenser of a-plurality of supporting frames, means for supplying heat thereto, shafts journaled in the frames, sprocket wheels keyed to said shafts, chains passing over said sprocket wheel, angle bars connecting said chains and forming guides, trays slidable upon said guidesand means. for rotating the shafts and moving the trays vertically within the frames.

6. The combination in a fruit evaporator and condenser of a frame having compartments located therein, fruit supporting means disposed within the upper compartment, a furnace disposed within the lower compartment, upwardly inclined heating pipes extending from the furnace, longitudinally of the lower compartment, transverse pipes connected to the upper ends of and a longitudinally extending pipe connecting the free ends of the transverse pipes.

7. The combination in a fruit condenser and evaporator of a frame having an upper and a lower compartment disposed therein, said lower compartment being closed at its lower end by a base plate, a furnace base resting upon the base plate intermediate the ends of the lower compartment, a furnace disposedupon said furnace base, a bottom extending from the sides of the base to the ends of the compartment in spaced relation to the base plate, upwardly inclined plates the furnace base tothe ends of the compartment and producing supplemental compartments, and condensing means disposed within the upper: compart ment.

8. The combination in a fruit vaporizer and condenser of a main frame having upper and lower compartments disposed therein, heating means within the lower compartment, supporting frames slidable within the upper compartment, vertically movable trays located within the supporting frames, said supporting frames being forme 'in their front walls with relatively large central openings'whereby access may be had to the trays and at their ends withopenings '15 of less dimensions whereby the trays may be removed and replaced andclos'ures for the said openings, means for vertically moving the trays.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa- 20 ture, in presence of two wltnesses.

a? ODORE E. KOEHLER Witnesses:

P. F. KIIJAN,

. J. L. MUFFEMBIN. 

